Happy Holidays

Hey Friends and Family,

Just a note to wish you all Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year! Things are going fine in Tanzania, I am a little poorer than I expected to be but hamnashida, as we would say here. (No Problems).

Now for a little story: Just went to the bank which is the prime example of Tanzanian inefficiency as the bank is almost always an all day experience. As I am waiting in line (I had already been there for an hour) and man after man cuts in front of me. I know this is a cultural difference here but I start to get a little pissed off. I am not sure if it is because I am a woman and therefore a second class citizen or because I am white so they think I don't know what is going on. But finally when the fourth guy cuts me, I throw a big hissy fit in the bank. Now usually I am able to keep my temper under control, but not today. So I tell them in Swahili "Not Cool", basically. They laugh at me but give me my way. For the next two hours of line standing we all sort of joke about it... "Haha, the foreigner knows whats going on and wouldn't let it happen." But the whole experience made me realize that equality is very ingrained in our culture. It doesn't always play out but for the most part Americans value equality, fairness and justice and get angry when we feel we are not being treated in a just manner.

I began to think that for most Americans we only apply this rule to other Americans, not to people in other countries. We figure that's just the way things are. There were countless times while working for Mercy Corps that I heard Americans say things like, "Well, all Africans are poor, that's just the way things are." (This is entirely untrue, many are and some are not.) or "We should be helping people in our own country." (We should, but why should arbitrary borders justify who receives help?) Anyways, the point of this is I would like to encourage people to extend our sense of equality over the boarders this holiday season. All people are people and should be treated fairly and have equal opportunity to success and happiness whether they are French, Iraqi, Cuban, Indian, Tanzanian or whatever. Please consider how you could be part of this change. What difference can you make? Volunteer for something or the holidays are always a good time to give a gift to an Aid Organization- I recommend Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org)

I hope the season is Merry and Bright. I love and miss all of you so much. Thanks you for the countless emails, packages and letters. I am so lucky to have all of you in my life. Be well.

Blessings,

Brie
www.brieintanzania.blogspot.com

"It's been a long December and there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last. I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they pass."
-Counting Crows